It would be impossible for students of the College to miss the dramatic and breathtaking colors of the fall. Simply walking past Miller Library presents a stunning view of foliage and rolling hills. The vivid oranges and reds are everywhere, and even hurrying down the walkways to steer clear of the cold winds does not mean that students miss the vibrant colors.

With the fall also comes Halloween and students of the College have already begun to enjoy traditions of their childhood. Scattered across campus, students are taking a break to carve a pumpkin on the lawn or to hang a goblin on their door. Last weekend, students had an opportunity to take part not only in a variety of fall traditions, but also in a tradition of the city itself. The Annual Harvest Festival was held in the Concourse Sunday, October 18.

"It looked like all the children were having a wonderful time, despite the cold weather," Jennifer Gelda '10, a festival attendee, said. "It catered to the younger population and made me miss 'trick or treating' and a full blown celebration of Halloween and the fall."

There is no doubt that the weather was cold, but that did not put a damper on the enjoyment of the attendees, young and old.

Activities ran the full spectrum from edible delights to rides through the streets. If you were bold, you could hop on a hayride and take an old fashioned spin around the block nestled in the sweet scent of summer's harvest. Nearby, ponies plodded slowly around a circle, providing a farm-like ambiance to the afternoon.

If the hayride made you hungry, you could stop by one of the food stands for a snack. The snack booths offered many tasty treats, including traditional autumn foods, such as chili and a few festival foods such as hot dogs.

For those people ready to exercise their creative vision, there was a station where you could carve your own pumpkin. My favorite featured a jagged smile with triangle eyes and a hooked nose. Just the sort of image to keep me awake on a dark and stormy night.

Unnoticeable to the younger crowd, students from the College and local volunteers quietly advocated that voters "Vote No on 1" in the upcoming election. They looked to remind residents that early voting had begun, and it was not necessary to wait until Election Day to cast their ballots. Also geared more towards the adult crowd, Barrels Community Market, located just across the street, offered free coffee samples.

But perhaps most popular was a candy apple decorating station. Dipped in caramel and covered with candy treats, the apples were hard to resist. All the while, music livened the air, and hay scattered from the ride onto the ground offered children a fun place to let loose and scamper.